


Don't forget to laugh, my love

by Mourshkin



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Chirrut is incorrigible and perfect, Fluff, M/M, Nudity, Pre-Canon, Sometimes Baze needs humour as well as comfort, The most devoted Guardian of us all!, i love them, spacedads, temple days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-19 08:02:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11309166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mourshkin/pseuds/Mourshkin
Summary: Chirrut can never refuse a dare, especially one that will make Baze smile!Inspired by Naniiebim's beautiful art!http://naniiebimworks.tumblr.com/post/162127862453/having-a-significant-annoyance-when-youre-the





	1. Daring do!

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out Naniiebim's art, ever piece of their work is fantastic - http://naniiebimworks.tumblr.com/

Everything had to be perfect.

Baze blinked dust out of his eyes and wiped a sweaty palm on his apron. He tucked the duster cloth into his pocket and surveyed the guest bedroom. It was as bare as all the others he had cleaned today, but by the force is was spotless. Baze allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction and pride.

A sudden, deep clanging of the temple bell dropped the smile and made his chest go tight. They were here! The Jedi Council was here and he was still in his dirty work clothes! He pulled the apron hurriedly over his head, the tie catching awkwardly on his ears in his haste.

"Yow! Come on come on come on, arrgh!"

He bundled up the cleaning supplies and started a hurried jog towards the temple gate.

"YAHOOOOO!"

The cry was louder than the temple bells and sent Baze's heart racing twice as fast. He dropped his apron and broke into a sprint. When he reached the courtyard, utter chaos reigned.

Young acolytes were leaning out of the balconies cheering and whooping. The Abbess stood statue-like with a hand over her face. The robed members of the Jedi Council stood frozen between shock, awe and bewilderment. Around a dozen Guardians were running breathless and dusty around the courtyard.

And ahead of them all was Chirrut. He wore a kyber-bright smile and nothing else. Baze stopped short and blushed red to the tips of his ears.

Baze watched in confused, aroused, astonishment as Chirrut dodged every grasping hand. His staff swung wide arcs in front of as he leapt and danced past his would-be captors. His er, other staff, was also swinging freely in a way that made Baze's mouth go dry. So when he tried to call his partner's name it came out in a croak.

"Ch-chirrUT!"

The naked initiate stopped his dance and cocked his head. If possible, his smile widened.

"Baze!"

He turned and sprinted towards his partner arms spread wide. He leapt over a failed tackle by a Guardian and launched himself as Baze. The still furiously blushing man caught him easily, arms locking around the backs of Chirrut's thighs. It was a well practiced move by the pair, although Chirrut was usually clothed when he greeted Baze this way.

"Chirrrruuut" Baze moaned into his partner's belly as the other laughed brightly and kissed him on the top of his shaven head.

"Did you enjoy the show, my love?"

"Well of course!" Baze spluttered, "But did it have to be today, dear one?" Chirrut laughed like a waterfall and kissed Baze's head again.

"You know I can't turn down a dare. And anyway, you needed a laugh before facing those uptight old Jedi!" Baze dropped Chirrut to his feet.

"Don't try to blame this on me!" His attempt at indigence was quashed by Chirrut's smiling, victory-flushed face. He leaned in, chuckled, kissed his partner softly above the ear and whispered.

"I love you, my-"

"Malbus! Remember your duties." He was interrupted by the Head Guardian's stern shout. Baze sighed.

"Yes, Guardian Colwitt." Hastily, he reached back and untied the wraps securing his robe and then pulled off his dirty work tunic. He wrapped it around Chirrut's shoulders and knotted the wrap as a belt at his waist.

"Don't catch cold my love." Baze admonished quietly. Chirrut grinned into their hasty kiss and seemed ready with a quip but Baze had already turned and jogged over to where the official visiting party stood, still in shock.

They waited in silence, expecting the Abbess to speak. Baze now saw that the hand over her face obscured quivering, repressed laugh. Instead, Guardian Colwitt spoke through gritted teeth.

"Masters, it is an honour to welcome you to the temple. Allow me to introduce our youngest and most promising Guardian, Baze Malbus. We were hoping you would allow him to sit in on our meeting."

Every Jedi's eyebrows flew skywards and for a moment Baze felt a wave of shame crash over him. But then he glanced over to Chirrut who lounging against the courtyard wall. He was playing lazily with hem of Baze's tunic and grinning in his partner's general direction. Baze smiled back and thanked the force that Chirrut was always there to save him from seriousness.

He turned back to the guests and bowed his now bare chest. With a smile Chirrut would have been proud of, he said "Welcome to the Temple of the Whills."


	2. Warmer than an absent sun

Baze glanced around the circle of solemn faces and missed his dirty work tunic. He crossed his arms over his chest to hide the goosebumps prickling his skin. He was sitting next to some of the greatest minds in the galaxy with his bare chest and stomach rolls for all to see. And force it was cold. His teeth began to chatter.

Guardian Colwitt kept glancing over with a look that suggested he was a naughty child who had to be kept at the adult's dinner table so he wouldn't make any more trouble. Baze tried to sit straighter and concentrate on the meeting. One of the senior Disciples was speaking-

"...and this disturbance in the Force has been felt by us all. Abbess do you not agree?" The Abbess, who appeared to have recovered her stoicism, opened her mouth to speak- 

"As I have said-"

"Yes, yes it is true and we have all agreed previously that there is imbalance in the force." A Jedi Master spoke impatiently over the Abbess. "What we are here to discuss is out next course of action." Many Jedi nodded and another spoke-

"We have detected a growth in the Dark side of the Force. The Jedi Order must be strengthened to resist this new challenge."

Baze blinked in astonishment as a cacophony of voices were suddenly raised in dissonance.

"The Order is not an army, it... and what else do you propose?...reflection on the nature of the disturbance can... do not have the resources...of course you would say so!...."

The voices piled up like hawkers at the market and Baze found himself thinking of how Chirrut would pull him close when noise surrounded them. Of the Autumn Eclipse Festival, when firecrackers and drums and voices crashed around them in drowning waves. Of Chirrut's hand in his as they wound through the crowd, never loosening til they reached their secret place on the dormitory roof. They had laid, entwined as their neighbour planet eclipsed the sun. 

Baze smiled, remembering how it felt to realise that all he needed to live was Chirrut. He did not even need the sun.

"And what do you think, Guardian Malbus?" The Abbess' powerful, high voice sliced the dissonance into silence. Baze gently shook his head, still with the ghost of a smile on his lips. The assembly stared expectantly.

"Maybe we're thinking about it wrong." He spoke gently but it triggered another eruption of discord.

"Let him speak!" A shaven-headed Jedi thundered, to everyone's surprise.

"I- I-" Baze gulped. Duty and fear descended like a chill. Then he felt the warmth from that night on the roof. Chirrut's love. Warmer than an absent sun. He found his voice.

"We speak of the Force like a set of scales, Dark and Light, to be balanced. But, uh, perhaps it's more like a circle. A circle will always be balanced."

The same Jedi leaned forward. "And what would you say the circle consists of, young Guardian?"

Baze drew in a gasp of realisation and replied. "It is made of Love."

"The boy is delusional! Abbess this is what comes of allowing romantic attachment in your guards. It gives passion and fear an open door to corruption." Voices were raised to agree with the dissenting Jedi who spoke. Both members of the Temple and the Council cast scandalised glances. Baze new he had crossed the point of no return, he must speak his mind.

"The neutrality of the Jedi is admirable, but surely it must be based on love. Neutrality without love is indifference." Some of the Council shifted uncomfortably.

"You believe that passion is corruption. And it can be. I have felt jealousy, envy, pride, even rage because of my love." The room sat in silence and Baze continued. "Those emotions are part of the circle and by pushing them away, they grow stronger."

Baze took a shaking breath and felt Chirrut's love with him. "But it was ultimately my love, my passion, that led me away from those paths. The man I love led me to kindness. He lead me to see a world full of laughter and the kindness of others. His love for me strengthens not my belief in the Force, but the force of others. Of every being's worth and potential for kindness and love."

The room reeled in silence. 

The soft patter of bare running feet brought Baze to stand. He turned just in time to have the breath knocked from his lungs.

Chirrut's legs locked around Baze's hips, hands pulled him into a kiss that blew all other thoughts from his mind. He slipped his hands to the small of Chirrut's back to better support his weight and chuckled. 

"You're still wearing my top?" 

Chirrut grinned lopsidedly. 

"How could I question your taste? You chose me after all." Baze welled with contentment and rested their foreheads together.

"I do." 

Baze turned slightly, and addressed the shocked assembly. "Thank you for your consideration, it has been an honour."

Then he walked out, still holding Chirrut. He was no longer cold. He had his sun.


End file.
